van dbusen



UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. B. VAN DEUSEN, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SOUNDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 30,778, dated November 27, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J. B'. VAN DEUSEN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Marine Sounding Apparatus;V and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specilication, in which- Figure l is a side view of a sounding apparatus with my improvement. F ig. 2 is a transverse section of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding` parts in both figures.

My invention relates to that description of sounding apparat-us which ascertains the depth of water by the number of revolutions made by a screw in its descent from the surface of the water to the bottom, such revolutions being produced by the resistance of the water to the passage of the blades or threads of the screw. In such apparatus as heretofore constructed, the screw has been prevented from giving motion to the registering and indicating mechanism, as it has been drawn up from the bottom by its coming in contact with the framing which contains that mechanism, so that it could not revolve without causing the frame to revolve with it, thereby causing it to drag very hard as it has been drawn up.

My invention consists in so combining the screw with the registering apparatus that it shall be caused to engage itself therewith and so give motion thereto in its descent through the water, but that it shall disengage itself therefrom, and so be permitted to revolve freely as it is drawn up, thereby preventing its dragging and the consequent liability to break the line.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention.I will proceed to describe its construct-ion and operation.

A is a spindle of brass or other metal, having at its upper end two flat wings B, C, arranged opposite to each other with their faces parallel with the axis of the spindle. The ring B, is made hollow to constitute a boX for the registering and indicating wheelwork. In a recess between the lower parts of the wings there is fitted a loose collar D, on which is a screw-thread gearing with the first one E, of the registering and indicating wheels. This collar is prevented from moving endwise upon the spindle A, by

means of a tongue a, which is secured to the wing C, but this tongue leaves the collar and its screw thread free to revolve upon the spindle.

F is the main screw from whose revolution,'1: roduced by its descent through the water, the motion of the registering and indicating wheels is derived. This screw is fitted to the spindle A, in such a manner as to be capable of revolving freely thereon and also of moving longitudinally thereon far enough for the portion of a clutch which is formed upon the upper end of its hub to pass into and out of gear with the portion c, thereof which is formed upon the lower end of the collar D, above mentioned. The longitudinal motion of the screw is limited by a fixed collar d, on the lower end of the spindle. On the upper end of the spindle there is formed an eye for the attachment of the line g, by which the apparatus is lowered into the water, and on the lower end there a loop or eye f, for the attachment of a weight by which to sink it.

lVhen the apparatus is suspended by the line y, the screw F, drops by its own weight on to the collar CZ, of the spindle and keeps its portion ZJ, of the clutch Z) o, out of gear with the portion C, but when the apparatus is lowered into the water with the weight attached to keep it upright and sink it, the resistance of the water to the descent of the screw raises it relatively to the spindle and brings the portion of the clutch into gear with the portion c, and also causes it to revolve upon the spindle which is prevented from revolving with it by the flat wings B, C. In taking soundings it is not necessary to stop the headway of the ship or other vessel, but the apparatus may be thrown overboard while the vessel is at full speed, care being taken to let the line g, out freely enough for the vertical descent of the apparatus; and as soon as the screw enters the water it comes into gear with the collar D, and commences its revolution, at once setting the registering and indicating apparatus in operation, and keeping it in operation till the weight strikes the bottom, when the screw F, drops on to the collar d, out of gear with the collar D, where it is held by the resistance of the water as the apparatus is hauled up by the line g, during which 0peration the screw revolves freely upon the spindle without producing any considerable drag and without giving motion to the regloo Water to its descent, but that Whenthe apparatus touches bottom the said screw drops out of gear and that as the apparatus is drawn up the said screw is kept out of gear With the said mechanism and permitted to revolve freely Without affecting the said mechanism, substantially as herein described.

J. B. VAN DEUSEN. Witnesses:

L. W. BENDR, M. M. LIVINGSTON. 

